Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Selections from Luther's Sermons for This Sunday. Mark 7:31-37




Here is the link. I will repeat it en clair, for Mequon graduates:

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2013/08/luthers-sermons-on-twelfth-sunday-after.html

The quotations show the paragraph number and indicate whether it is the first or second sermon from the Lenker set.

7. You know the fundamental truth is, that man cannot be just and acceptable before God, save alone by faith. So that they have lied and spoken falsely who have taught heretofore that we may deal with God through our works. Moreover it was much more foolish that they taught us to rely upon the works and faith of other persons, pretending that nuns, monks and priests can help other persons by their wailing which they perform in their cloisters at night, and that in this manner they can help other people and distribute their treasures. Therefore, let everyone here remember, that no one dare undertake to be saved by the faith, or by the work of another person; in truth, it cannot be done by the faith or work of Mary, or of any saint, yea, not even by Christ’s work and faith, but through your own personal faith. For God will not permit Mary, or any other saint, not even Christ himself, to take your place, in order that you might be godly and righteous, unless you believe for your own self. If Christ’s faith and work will not do it, you will much less accomplish it by the work or faith of all the monks and priests. Hence our Gospel lesson gives us an occasion to speak of the faith of others. 
(First Sermon, #7)

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11. He addresses here particularly two organs of the body, the ear and the tongue; for you know the Kingdom of Christ is founded upon the Word, which cannot be apprehended or understood except by these two organs, the ear and the tongue, and he rules in the hearts of men alone by the Word and by faith. The ears apprehend the Word, the heart believes it; the tongue, however, speaks or confesses that which the heart believes. Hence, barring the tongue and ears, there is no perceptible difference between the Kingdom of Christ and that of the world.

12. For in regard to the outward life a Christian has duties like an unbeliever; he tills the ground, works his fields, and plows just like others, and he undertakes no peculiar work or deed, either in eating, drinking, working, sleeping, or anything else. But these two organs of the body make a difference between a Christian and an unbeliever; a Christian speaks and hears differently; he has a tongue which praises the grace of God and preaches Christ the Lord as being the only Savior, etc. This the world does not do; it speaks of avarice and other vices, preaches and praises its own glory.

13. In like manner the ears of both differ. A Christian’s ears have the same Word which the tongue preaches, and the heart believes; but the world prefers to hear one speak of her wisdom, understanding, honor and glory.

The ears and tongues of Christians are thus different from the ears and tongues of the world, or of unbelievers, caring nought for silver or gold, but only for that which is said of Christ, and how to speak and preach Christ. 
(Second Sermon, #11-13)



Change or Die!!!!!
Searching for Bonhoeffer - Mike Adams - Page 1

Searching for Bonhoeffer - Mike Adams - Page 1:

As one who has traveled to twenty-two states this year I’ve had an opportunity to hear pastors in several of these mega-churches. And I’ve heard some very interesting things. Some examples follow:
1. “We encourage you to sign up for one of our Bible study classes. We don’t say we have all the answers. We may not have any of the answers that you might have. We just want to start a conversation.” Oddly enough, the church where I heard this little gem doesn’t even call itself emergent. Of course, Don Miller claims he’s not emergent but I’m not buying that jazz.
2. “This church doesn’t focus on doctrine. We focus on hope.” Well, that explains why the pastor rode up to the stage on a motorcycle. By giving a sermon standing in front of a Harley Davidson, instead of a cross, he can avoid that unpleasant doctrinal stuff about sin and redemption. Pass the Starbucks. This is going to be a good one!
3. “If Christianity is to survive in the 21st Century, everything about it must change.” You can’t be serious with this one, can you? Does that mean I should cast the first stone? Can I cast it at the idiot in the pulpit? Wait, there is no pulpit. And no cross. Never mind.

I predict that many of the mega-churches of today will be the shopping malls of tomorrow. When it is time to foreclose and go packing someone is going to have some heavy equipment to move. At least no one will have to pick up their cross.

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WELS Stole St. John in Milwaukee and Then Closed It for Services.
After 125 years, Bethlehem Lutheran Church holds last service.
TLH Edited in Bethlehem Parsonage

After 125 years, Bethlehem Lutheran Church holds last service:

Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 2466 W. McKinley Ave. in Milwaukee holds one of its final two services Sunday before it closes its doors. For more photos, go to jsonline.com/photos.

Michael Sears

Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 2466 W. McKinley Ave. in Milwaukee holds one of its final two services Sunday before it closes its doors. For more photos, go to jsonline.com/photos.

A 'heart-breaking' day for many members

Janet Engel knelt at the Communion rail at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Sunday, tears welling in her eyes.
At 85, she'd built a lifetime of memories in this sacred space. She was confirmed here. She attended its grade school. Every Christmas, every Easter was celebrated in these pews.
And on Sunday, for the last time, Engel knelt to receive the Holy Eucharist here.
"It's heartbreaking," said Engel, who gathered with hundreds of current and former members for final services at Bethlehem, which closed its doors Sunday after 125 years.
"It's wonderful to see all of these people again," she said. "But closing the church — it's just heartbreaking."
Bethlehem Lutheran celebrated its final services Sunday, one a spartan farewell for current members who will never again worship as a family, the other a reunion that drew former congregants and clergy from across the state.
"It's been a long time since I've seen it this full," said an emotional Tyrone Dumas, his voice drowned by a choir suddenly swelled with alumni whose voices filled the church.
Bittersweet, the service echoed the themes of Ecclesiastes: that there is a time for everything, even death, but that God is eternal.
"No matter how sad it is to lose a church like this, the word of God will remain forever," said the Rev. Hunter Hofmann, one of the handful of clergy who spoke Sunday. "The building you worship in may close...but the church lives forever."

Changing community

Founded by German immigrants, Bethlehem and its towering steeple have stood at the corner of N. 24th Place and W. McKinley Ave. since 1888.
Part of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Bethlehem thrived into the 1950s when as many as 1,800 people filled its pews. But it has struggled, like many urban churches, to hold onto its members. What began with the white flight of the 1960s was only exacerbated by the collapse of manufacturing in the central city, the recession and a growing trend in society away from organized religion, especially mainline Christian churches.
In recent years, membership had dwindled to about 150 people, many of them elderly and shut-ins, according to Pastor Micah Wildauer, who split his time between Bethlehem and nearby Hope Lutheran Church. Most Sundays, attendance hovered around 50.
Members' contributions could no longer cover the utilities and payroll, let alone the $500,000 that would be needed to fix the roof and make other repairs needed after years of deferred maintenance.

Plea for help

Leaders made an unprecedented plea for help to current and former members in 2009, and donations picked up. But it wasn't enough.
The church was preparing to close a few years ago when it received a miraculous reprieve: a $167,000 bequest from a longtime member.
"We gave about 10% to missions and used the rest to survive," said Dumas. It lasted almost three years, "but we knew when we got it that it would come to an end."
That end came Sunday in a flood of memories and long embraces as members welcomed back many they hadn't seen in years. Some walked through the building reminiscing; others snapped photographs. Many discussed where they would go next. Some plan to follow Wildauer to Hope Lutheran, but others are undecided.
"It really takes you back to your childhood," said Terry Bruss who continued to attend Bethlehem after moving to Cudahy.
"I met my wife here, so it's kind of nostalgic for me," said Dan Carow, 76, who lives about an hour north of Green Bay.

Committed congregation

"This is going to be one of the roughest days of my life," said Steve Phifer, who was baptized in the church and recently married there.
Phifer is deeply sentimental about Bethlehem, crediting the church and his mother with giving him a strong foundation in life. In recent years, Phifer maintained the church's boilers at no cost, and though he'd moved from the neighborhood, he returned regularly to mow grass and plow snow for two of his elderly teachers.
Like many, he's developed deep friendships here, across lines of race and age.
"Bethlehem is home to me," he said.
"The hardest thing will be not seeing the people we're used to seeing every week," said Esther Schedler, 97, who once taught at the school and still lives in the neighborhood.
"It's an emotional day," she said. "But we have to move on."

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